Uber does not pose an imminent danger to London's iconic black cab. So says Transport for London (TfL) commissioner Sir Peter Hendy.

Speaking at the Guardian's transport debate held during the Conservative party conference, Hendy argued the fury directed toward the San Francisco-based company had been largely "misplaced".

In fact, Hendy was optimistic that there would be a future for traditional cabs alongside the ride-sharing app. He told the audience:

I don’t come out of my office and think I’m going to get onto my phone to look for a car. I look down Victoria Street, and I find a vacant taxi. I know the driver knows where he’s going, and I know he’s licenced because, apart from anything else, I licence him.

Uber has been a prime target for the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA), which organised thousands of cabbies to stage a protest against the taxi app company in June. They were joined by cab drivers from all over Europe who were unsatisfied with Uber's regulatory status.

We love black cabs and that’s why we launched UberTaxi, inviting London’s iconic black cabs to join the Uber platform. We are giving black cabs more opportunities to earn a living in a safe and comfortable working environment, and providing riders with even more choice.

We’ve already welcomed hundreds of cabbies to Uber; and signups are increasing rapidly by the day.